Uniquely Milwaukee

If you’ve ever experienced adversity, it can be tough to see the positive outcome. Sometimes, it’s less of a beacon and more of a silver lining. In this episode, we go inside one of the city’s nonprofits that focuses on the brighter side — big, small and everything in between.

Harmonic Harvest launched on Giving Tuesday in November of 2023. Less than two years later, it celebrated the opening of its headquarters inside the ...

In any city, there are interesting places — one that are typically not open to the public. They’re spaces you pass by and say, “I wonder what happens in there.” Doors Open Milwaukee gives everyone the opportunity to act on that curiosity, with access to more than 160 locations around the city, mostly for free.

It’s an annual celebration of the city’s architecture, history and neighborhoods, and it’s back at the end of Septe...

At the corner of Locust Street and King Drive, there’s a sense of purpose, happiness and hope. That’s because theHarambee neighborhood is welcoming back a community anchor: the new Martin Luther King, Jr. branch of the Milwaukee Public Library (MPL), its modern façade brighter, bigger and more inviting for all to enter.

For this episode, podcast host Kim Shine was in the mix for a very big day for the Milwaukee Public Libra...

We're working hard on our next episode (obvious hint: it's connected to all the places getting ready to open their doors Sept. 27-28), so with this being Labor Day week, we decided to revisit our drive around the city with Milwaukee parking enforcement officer Eldricht Hill.

On this episode, you’ll be right there as we go behind the scenes on a ride-along with Hill, and chat with him and parking services manager Thomas Wozn...

Cactus Club is one of Milwaukee’s beloved music and arts venues. Many have walked through the doors of the Bay View spot, but not everyone could enter with ease. 

The nearly 140-year-old building had 4-1/2 stairs to climb before you could enter, and its design wasn’t fully accessible to all. This month, that started to change. There’s now a ramp alongside the building — just the first of many planned improvements to this le...

The Menomonee River isn’t your typical classroom. Then again, the group of 10- to 12-year-olds who spent a week along its shoreline weren’t your typical class.

These students, and some older teens, were part of a summer program from All Hands Boatworks, a local nonprofit teaching youth — and adults — about the craft of wooden boatbuilding, Milwaukee’s rivers and the Great Lakes. But the learning extends well beyond ...

The future is technology. The future is A.I. It’s shaping industries while transforming how we communicate and how we learn. In this episode, we go inside a new summer program showing those capabilities — and more — to the young minds in our community.

A.I. Academy is teaching a group of sixth through eighth graders how they can benefit from this technological leap, as well as how it can fuel entrepreneurship. With hands-on...

We’re taking a break this week, but that doesn’t mean the stories stop. In fact, it turned out to be the perfect time to revisit and update our episode from last July about Milwaukee’s Hydroponics STEM Program, which teaches Milwaukee high schoolers STEM and urban farming. That means they use technology, not soil, to grow their own food, eat healthier and even become entrepreneurs.

The program makes a positive impact on you...

Harlem and Bronzeville. Two neighborhoods separated by more than 700 miles. Despite the space between them, there’s plenty that unites these epicenters of Black culture — with reputations built over more than a century.

There’s a historic connection between Harlem in New York City and Bronzeville here in Brew City. It’s something Radio Milwaukee’s digital-first platform HYFIN will put center stage at its third annua...

Though her intuition was strong, Willow Newell didn’t know she’d be the next Miss Wisconsin. But the 22-year-old says it felt right because she did her best and felt connected to her highest self. Now, the Racine native has won the crown and is the first Black woman to hold the title.

As Miss Wisconsin, her platform is "expression without exclusion." She believes everyone should have access to the arts — a passion t...

Q-W-E-R-T-Y.

They’re the first six letters atop all our keyboards, from our phones to our computers, and they revolutionized communication. But their history is far from digital and, in fact, is rooted here in the Cream City.

In 1868, Milwaukee native Charles Latham Sholes was just trying to solve a problem: He needed to design a machine that could produce the letters of the alphabet without the arms jamming....

Emmitt James is Milwaukee’s own DIY, hip-hop/jazz artist — a classification that gives him the freedom to do … well, anything. That includes using his music to give back to the community through events like his ever-growing fundraiser/concert: the Emmitt James Big Band BBQ, which is back for its third edition Aug. 23.

Asked what guests can expect that day, Emmitt was ready with an answer: “A movie! … that you can on...

Ebony Ice launched in 1989 as a local branch of the National Brotherhood of Snowsports. The organization hosts events all year round for skiers and snowboarders of all experience levels, as well as seasonal “Learn to Ski/Snowboard” classes. With about 75 members to date, membership is encouraged and does come with perks like discounts, scholarships and travel opportunities.

“Skiing is the kind of sport where unless ...

Every creative tells a story — sometimes through lyrics, sometimes through shoes. This episode puts the focus on footwear, with an artist who’s making custom sneakers for some big names at this year’s Summerfest

Brandon Johnston is owner of Soul 2 Sole (S2S) Creations. The Carroll University graduate was tapped – once again – by the Big Gig to create designs for two of this year’s headliners after making shoes for 2...

The annual Juneteenth celebration — recognized annually on June 19 — commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. It was on that day in 1865 when the final enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation occurred in Texas.

While it took another 156 years for Juneteenth to become an official federal holiday (in 2021, in case you don’t want to do the math), the celebration has deep roots in Milwaukee. Led by Nor...

For many of us, our fathers are our protectors. They provide the structure, discipline and encouragement that stays with you throughout life. And when they’re not cooking on the grill in their favorite sandals, they teach us to stand tall, speak up and be fearless. 

Of course, the word “dad” isn’t the same for everyone. It can be a biological bond, mentor, bonus parent or father figure who chose to step up. This hol...

Sun-Seeker MKE are dreamers, artists, abolitionists, chosen family and joy makers — all working hard to reimagine what safety and care looks like for black trans and queer folks. Everyone involved with the Black trans abolitionist organization understands the solutions to oppression, harm and liberation come from the people within the communities they serve.

I spoke with Nick Berkley, Yante Turner and Jakayla (Jay) ...

On this episode of Uniquely Milwaukee, DJ Kenny Perez had the chance to speak with auntie, a rising producer from Milwaukee who’s making waves with a sound deeply rooted in Footwork.

If you’re wondering what Footwork is, you’ll have to take it back to Chicago in the late 1990s and early 2000s. This high-energy, rhythmically complex dance music evolved as a faster and more abstract offshoot of the Chicago ghetto hous...

Golf is a multibillion-dollar sport played in many places around the world. Its modern origins date back to 15th century Scotland, but the game didn’t really gain traction in the United States until the turn of the 19th century. 

Eventually, modern legends like Arnold Palmer and Tiger Woods took the game to new heights. Still, after all these years, it’s a sport that lacks diversity. 

According to the Profess...